Stage of Life Counseling and grief counselor/zen chaplain Jinji Willingham will hold a nondenominational Bearing Witness Memorial Service on Sunday, September 9, 2018 from 10:00 am – 11:00 pm. The memorial is held in the garden at Timberline Office Condominiums at 2525 Wallingwood Drive, and is held to support family members and honor all children who have passed way at any point during pregnancy or upon birth, young children, and children of any age who have died due to overdose, suicide, accidents, violence, and illness. The memorial is free and all are welcome.

Offered during times of family transitions – the end and beginning of the school year, holidays, and the beginning of spring, please join us for this September memorial service which originated in Japan but is increasingly being offered in the west to honor the loss of child. We invite family members of children who have died at any age to join us for a contemplative ritual of bearing witness to what many feel is “the worst loss.”

Know for his dedication to walk beside those who suffer, the bodhisattva Jizo is often depicted with singed robes and sandals, and is beloved as the companion-protector of lost children and their parents (as well as women and travelers). Jizo rituals have become popular outside of Japan to encourage families to acknowledge, honor, and commune over the unique pain that often remains unspoken when a child dies.

Please meet Ms. Willingham just outside Building 9 at the rear of the Timberline parking lot. The complex has ample parking and is also easily accessible by Capital Metro Bus #30. Please message with any questions.

Contact Jinji Willingham at 512-350-8505 or reach out here for more information.